[Note: a compendium of “Dennis-isms” from the just completed Belknap County budget process at the end -Skip]
Boy, this being a “representative” is pretty difficult stuff. I have to admit, even though I take our Wednesday meeting/voting sessions at the State House pretty seriously, sitting through some of these difficult County Budget meetings has really been eye opening. I am happy to say, our conservative majority in the delegation have level funded the county budget for our Belknap County taxpayers. No tax increase this year much to the chagrin of our County Commissioners, County Administrator, Deb Shackett, and the Democrats on our county delegation. However, the most surreal experience of all, has been working with Republican Representative Dennis Fields. Not only did Rep. Fields vote with the Democrats to RAISE the county portion of our property taxes, Rep. Fields has also voted with the Democrats at the State House against our 2nd Amendment rights. And, I have to wonder if Sanbornton voters truly understood what they were getting in their Republican candidate, Dennis Fields when they voted for him. If so, then you need not read any further. If not, then you need to recognize his anti-Second Amendment votes and actions at our county budget meeting prove Rep.Fields is not supporting the proposed Republican Party platform or our Constitutional rights to bear arms. He ran as a Republican and was voted him in as such. Hmmm…..
During the process of county budget talks (the 9% proposed increase on the county portion of our property taxes was beyond egregious, in my opinion), Fields continually sided with the Commissioners and Democrats, often attacking his own Republican Chair, Rep. Colette Worsman, with unprofessional diatribes and hyperbole. His quarrelsome statements on Worsman holding “secret meetings”, (they are called CAUCUSES, Rep. Field. ALL political parties hold them. There is nothing “secretive” about them
and well you know it! You have spent over 20 years in politics!), not only stalled the budget discussion process, but established a circus like atmosphere at our County Delegation meetings. Now, here Rep. Fields goes again. He voted to ban our representatives’ right to carry weapons in our own State House (HR63) as well as FOR the DEMOCRAT sponsored bill to limit our Stand Your Ground laws here in NH. The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 12 – 6 on Feb. 27 to recommend the full House pass a bill introduced by Democrat Majority Leader Steven Shurtleff of Penacook. This bill, HB135 diminishes our right to defend ourselves in public. In this bill, Rep. Dennis Fields voted to support the 10 Democrats in the committee vote. When questioned about this, Fields responded that many of the messages he received are from ‘out of staters’. “They don’t live here. They can do what they want in their state, he said. “I’m going to do what’s best for New Hampshire.” Really, Representative Fields? By taking away our 2nd Amendment rights? Citizens of Sanbornton, indeed citizens in Belknap County, should take this opportunity to contact Rep. Fields and let him know how you feel about his recent votes against our Constitutional right to bear arms. Obviously, he needs to hear from citizens who live IN New Hampshire. (Incidentally, I have heard from many Sanbornton constituents who absolutely do NOT agree with Rep. Fields support of HB135.) When the 2014 elections roll around, we will be able to voice our disapproval of elected representatives who do not stand in defense of our Constitutional rights. The Republican Platform stands in defense of our 2nd Amendment. Rep. Fields needs to hear from YOU and he obviously needs to hear now!
Phone: (603)528-6224
Email: dennis.fields@leg.state.nh.us
“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms…disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes…Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”
– Thomas Jefferson
“Dennis-isms”:
